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Alberta wildfire season begins

Alberta's wildfire season began on March 1 with a number of important measures being put in place to ensure the province is prepared.

The Whitecourt Forest Area has been active through the winter months, working with communities and industries in wildfire preparedness and continuing to increase staff numbers with the town's seasonal firefighters.

Shannon Stambaugh, an information officer for Alberta Wildfire, explained the impact of current weather conditions on potential forest fires in the province.

“The current snow is preventing wildfires from starting and spreading in our forested areas but the snow pack itself does not have much impact on the wildfire danger once it melts, since most of it is lost to spring runoff,” she said. “As snow starts to melt, dead, dry grasses will be exposed. These conditions allow for wildfires to catch easily and move quickly.”

However this does not reduce the risk of a “holdover” fire from occuring. Stambaugh explains this type of wildfire, “starts from an improperly extinguished fall or winter burn site.”

The public has a responsibility to help prevent fires from occuring and there are a number of ways to do so Stambaugh added. The first being that, it is currently advised people return and check fall or winter burn sites. “Stir the debris, check for any hot spots” and ensure the site is completely extinguished. Second is obtaining a fire permit. Permits are free and can be requested from any office of Alberta Agriculture and Forestry.

Off-highway vehicles are another hazard that need to be monitored. Branches, mud and grass have the potential to build up on the vehicle which can then ignite, fall from the machine and start a wildfire. It is important to keep the machine debris free.

There is an app that can be used to find information on wildfires in the area. The app, Alberta Wildfire, is free for any Android or Apple user.

According to the government of Alberta, last year approx. 1,231 fires were in the area burning more than 49,000 hectares in the province, with around 64 per cent of those being caused by human activity.

More than 68 written warnings and tickets were issued in 2017, mainly for burning without a permit and leaving campfires unattended. This season, fire permits are required for all burning, with the exception of campfires, in the Forest Protection Areas within the province.

“Wildfire prevention is a responsibility we all share and it is important to understand safe fire practices so that everyone can enjoy Alberta's forests. Everyone's involvement ensures that wildfire does not needlessly threaten our homes or environment,” said Stambaugh.

Any information on fire bans and restrictions are listed on Albertafirebans.ca. Currently, there are no bans or restrictions.